Tightrope
by InnocentFighter
Summary: Life was like a tightrope. There was only one way to go, but many ways of getting there, and when you fell, sometimes there wasn't a net. The thoughts of Percy as he and Annabeth try to escape Hades. WARNING MAJOR CHARACTER DEATH!
1. Chapter 1

**Hello all! This is my first fanfiction, on this account, for this fandom. I hope you all will enjoy and give me feednack on how to improve my writing, for this fandom and other wise. I wanted to give a light fluff piece but this was nagging at me from some buried documents of mine and after doing some tailoring of it, I got it done. I can't wait for House of Hades! The speculation is only making me want to know more. I don't know what else to say but than please enjoy. See you at the bottom.**

**DISCLAIMER I DO NOT OWN PERCY JACKSON  
(I wish I did...)**

* * *

Lava plumes bubbled up beside me, from the pit below. There had been a bridge leading over to a set of doors, that looked surprisingly hopeful… for Hades at least. I knew what they were and so did Annabeth, they were the Doors of Death, the others should be on the other side of them by now.

As we neared the bridge the doors creaked open, filling the lava lit cavern with natural light. I could see now the rock was superheated enough to be red. Annabeth and I looked at each other. For the first time in what seemed like years our faces cracked into brilliant smiles, brilliant on Annabeth's part at least. Mine was probably dorky looking.

The nearer we got to the bridge the more it became apparent that it was built to hold only one at a time, and it was in complete ruin, the ropes that made up the bridge were frayed and weak looking not to mention charred from the lava below it flaring up constantly.

I knew that there was precious little time before the bridge fell into the pit below it. With a feeling of dread, I knew that this was a trap. The one that was meant to separate lovers, the only ones to both make it across had failed when they reached the doors. I swallowed the thick lump in my throat.

Annabeth must've realized the same thing as me. She turned and looked at me with horror filled eyes.

"Percy-" She began.

"Shh." I said putting my finger to her lips. "I know."

"We can't." She panicked. "I can't do this. The bridge can't hold two people at a time! You know the myths. The first person to-"

I chuckled, wrong move judging by the look she gave me.

"Don't worry. You'll be fine." I mumbled the next part under my breath, knowing full and well what it would entail. "I swear to you; on the River Styx."

The ground rumbled beneath me. Annabeth hadn't heard like I had hoped.

"Come on! We need to go!" Nico yelled across the pit.

I sighed and looked at Annabeth. "You go first. You have a better chance of making it across."

"No! You have to go first." She was pleading.

I leaned down and stared straight into her eyes; she stared straight back into mine. "Annabeth listen to me. You need to cross first."

"You know what that means for you!" She argued.

"I know, and I accept that. They need you more than they need me. We need to seal the doors as soon as possible. We're wasting time arguing." I said softly.

Her eyes widened. "How can you say that?"

"You know me. I can't lie." I smiled gently. "The bridge will hold you better because you're lighter than me."

"But-" She started.

"Annabeth, this is one argument you won't win." I laughed. "Please, do it for me."

"I can't lose you again. I won't!" She protested.

"It's the same for me."

She looked into my eyes. I knew that she was looking for any trace of uncertainty that she could use. She opened her mouth, but before she could speak I covered it with mine. Along with the usual taste of Annabeth, there was the taste of soot and copper, I knew it was from her split lip that had just begun to heal.

"Now is not the proper time for a make-out session!" I knew that voice, it was Leo.

"C'mon wise girl, get over there." I grinned.

She playfully smacked my arm. "As long as you follow me across, seaweed brain."

I pulled back and whispered into her ear. "I'll follow you to Hades and back."

She rolled her eyes and kissed me again. I knew what she was doing, she wanted to make sure that if these were our last moments, she wanted them to be normal and not filled with sorrow. She was the first to pull away, her eyes scanning over me, taking everything into memory.

It made me squirm slightly to be observed so closely by her. The only times she looked at me like that was after a battle with monsters and she was making sure that I wasn't injured at all, not a single scratch or bruise escaped her evaluation. Not after the time that I had fought the chimera, for the second time, and got poisoned again. I hadn't told her that I had a small scrape from the snake's fangs. Then I had fainted and when I woke up Annabeth kissed me and she then proceed to not talk to me for a full week.

I shook my head as I returned to the present. We shared one last kiss. Before I gently nudged her towards the bridge. She sighed in defeat. Glancing back at me one more time, this time her eyes clearly displayed her emotions. It was breathtaking, her storm gray eyes were having a storm of emotion, sorrow, remorse, regret, forgiveness, and love.

I smiled, hoping to encourage her. It seemed to work as she nodded and hesitantly stepped out onto the bridge. Her ankle was still pretty bad, but I knew she'd be able to do it, she's faced a lot worse.

My smile faded, and I felt a warmth run down my cheeks. She would be fine, I thanked the gods. I knew my fate when I fell into Hades with her. I didn't regret it, I had fallen for her in all meanings of that phrase. I would never regret loving her.

I'd do it all over. Though as much as it pains me to think about it, if I had a chance to change anything, it wouldn't be that I was going to die… I'd change Annabeth falling in love with me. We could be best friends, but I would make sure she would have to go through this much pain ever again. It was all my fault.

She was halfway across now. The bridge ropes were holding, though the strain they were going through was obvious,

I watched as she balanced herself perfectly on the small rope that was the walkway, it must've been made out of some godly material as it wasn't touched by time. It had changed into a new looking rope the moment that Annabeth stepped on it. That's how I knew that it was magic .

I walked closer to the bridge. The handrails were creaking with the pressure to help hold Annabeth up. They wouldn't hold much longer. I willed Annabeth to hurry up.

The creaking was becoming constant now. She was almost to the others side. I chewed on my bottom lip thoughtfully. I closed my eyes briefly, but they shot open the moment I heard a particularly sharp snap.

One of the ropes had snapped leaving, I looked over to the other side and saw that Annabeth made it over. I breathed in relief. She'd be fine, everyone on that side would stop her from doing something stupid.

But right now I needed to do something stupid. The bridge had consisted of three ropes. One to walk on, and two to use to help with balance. Now there was only two.

I wrapped a hand around the last remaining handrail, as my hand made contact with it, the rope snapped. I almost laughed. That was my luck, I must've hit the weakest part of the rope.

I heard Annabeth yelp when the rope snapped. I looked over to her and gave her a thumbs up. Why I did that? I'm not entirely sure, normally thumbs up meant that everything was good, and truth be told we both knew that nothing was good that the moment.

The way she looked, so incredibly desperate, will be burned into my memory for as long as I live. As I gazed on to the now solitary rope, it might not be that long of a time. I set my jaw, I had to try, for her. I'd be content with just sitting here waiting for my death but Annabeth wouldn't leave until I tried. I'd give her that at least.

A son of the water dying in fire, symbolic isn't it? I shook my head. I needed to think positively! But as I've noticed positivity wasn't very common in the underworld.

I took my first step out onto the rope, so far it didn't look like it was going to budge. I spread my arms out as far as I could, hoping that it would give me extra balance like it did in movies, sometimes movies weren't all fake, there had to be some truth to them.

I swung my other leg and set the heel against the toe of my other foot. I hissed in pain as it tugged on my still healing chest wound. I had gotten it saving Annabeth, it was worth it, and it wasn't bleeding any longer so that was a plus.

I wobbled and flailed my arms to regain my balance. Luckily that worked.

I breathed in once more and repeated the process. Again I wobbled but managed to keep my balance. The heat was starting to make my already dehydrated self dizzy. It wouldn't be beneficial to my balance, but hurrying wouldn't either.

I wanted to sigh, I had thought that for a fleeting moment I would've been able to survive that someone would take pity on me. Or if not for me, but for Annabeth, she would lose me three times at this rate. There wouldn't be a third reunion.

I decided on increasing my pace. Like I thought I was wobbling a lot more. Annabeth had been clumsy but steady.

I paused, not my best idea but this rope was a lot more then a heat resistant rope without a weight limit. The thought had struck me with such force that I had taken a micro step back. I was so surprised that I had thought that, I had missed the fact that a another plume of lava was starting to form..

Annabeth didn't miss it however. "PERCY!"

I turned so quickly towards her voice, it was a natural reaction, I had never heard her that scared since the time there had been thousands of metallic spiders making there way towards us. I had thought that she was in danger.

Her eyes were wide, and she mouthed to me behind you.

I turned my head in time to see the tallest plume yet, rise up out of the lava. In the next second I wondered why survival instincts tended to get you killed more than they saved you. As the lava was forced to submit to gravity I spun on my heel and tried to make a run for it.

Key word being tried.

In my spinning my foot slipped off of the rope and my center of balance was suddenly lower than Iit had been a second ago. There was no recovering my balance from this.

I fell.

She screamed.

It was like slow motion, I turned my head towards Annabeth. I could see her mouth moving but there weren't any words coming from her mouth. I couldn't describe the look on her face. I really only wanted to focus on her in my last moments but the other members of the quest were now standing next to her.

You know the moments when your body seems to move on its own? Well I was having one and suddenly I screamed as my shoulder was wretched out of its socket. Quickly I grab onto the rope with my other hand, whimpering at the pain.

I could tell that the others were surprised that I managed to pull something like that off. But I could tell that I was really just prolonging the end. The wound in my chest opened up and I felt the blood pour down my chest.

I looked at the group apologetically. It was interesting watching people I decided. I hadn't ever really had a need to give someone bad news. Though I figured interesting wasn't the correct word to use when describing people realizing that someone was dying. At the moment I really didn't care.

There faces went from relived surprise to saddened horror as they saw me resign myself to my fate. They'd have to finish the quest without me. Nico would fill in my spot. Now I knew why he was part of the quest, he had been the seventh member the entire time, I had only been the vessel to bring them all together.

It seemed weird that I was dying in the underworld. I shook my head, the shoulder which was dislocated was starting to slip off of the rope, one hand wouldn't hold me.

I had to say something. Not my biggest talent, but I could get people to move mountains on a god blessed day. I just hope Zeus was going to take pity on me, or Hades, this is his domain after all.

"Seal the door!" I said, knowing that pain was thick in my voice.

"You'll be trapped!" Hazel cried.

I looked at her with the sternest face I could muster in my predicament. "Does it matter?"

She backed off. She knew as well as anyone that I wasn't meant to be in this world any longer. Nico knew it too, but he didn't want to believe it.

Damn, I had actually gotten him to warm up to me. Finally! Strange how death makes everything so clear, sometimes it wasn't fair.

Jason looked inspired for a brief second. "Percy, maybe I can lift you up with air currents or something!"

I smiled sadly, my hand had slipped further. "That isn't how this works Jason! Please just do it. There's so much more at stake than my life! Go!"

Piper and Leo looked at each other. They waved their hands and turned to leave. We hadn't been that close, but I knew what they were going through, I've seen my comrades die. It was still painful even if all you knew about them was their name.

Jason was the next one to leave. Being a son of Zeus or Jupiter had put us at odds since the beginning. I knew that we had moved past that, we trusted each other. He knew that he was receiving the unofficial title of leadership with my death. I didn't know why I was always the leader, I didn't have the right personality for it. My fatal flaw is what really prevented me from becoming someone who would proudly wear the title of a leader.

My hand slipped more, and I grunted in pain. My vision was going blurry from the tears that the heat was causing, and possibly the blood loss. I blinked furiously. Trying to keep everyone else in my vision as much as possible.

I couldn't tell the faces of Frank and Hazel, but I could see Annabeth and Nico perfectly.

I stared at Nico meaningfully. "Take care of them, yeah?"

I grinned after I said that, my hands were sweating that wasn't a good thing. Nico must've gotten the message as he nodded grimly, even for him.

"I will."

I knew he would. I had entrusted him with something that was worth my life, I had given him the job which I had done diligently since I was twelve; watching over Annabeth, Grover, my mom, and the wellbeing of Camp Half-blood. He'd have to be responsible now, he couldn't run off any more. He wouldn't either, because he knew I trusted him.

I stared directly at Annabeth. Tears were streaming down her face. I never realized that as bad as it sounded, she was cute when she cried.

"Annabeth… there isn't enough time in the world to tell you everything I want to. Without you I wouldn't have made it this far. Thank you."

I sent her one of my lopsided grins she thought were so charming. "You've taught me more than I thought that I would've ever known. For that you'll always be my best friend."

I inhaled, the hot air burning my lungs as it entered them, my arm was getting really sore. I didn't have much time left. "There's something about the bridge that you should know, you'll figure it out, you're smart."

Here was my grand finale, I hoped that I was going to say the right thing. "Annabeth. I love you more than anyone could ever love a person. You've been with me since the beginning of my demigod life, to the end of both. I can't tell you how that makes me feel."

I knew I was actually crying now, not very heroic, but when have I ever been the typical hero? Except for now with the heroes always have tragic endings bit.

"I love you. That won't ever change. But I don't want you to dwell on me. Remember who I was, but don't put your life on hold because of me. I did this because I want you to live. So do just that. Live, for the both of us if you have to."

She did this weird half smile that made my heart flutter. My bad arm finally gave out and fell limply to my side. I stared at her.

"Percy… I don't know… I'll try…" She said. "I love you, I can't imagine my life without you. Please…"

I smiled. I had heard what I wanted to hear. I closed my eyes and let the tears fall down my face freely.

"Thank you." I whispered.

It was so quiet that I barely heard it. Let alone Nico and Annabeth. I didn't know if Frank and Hazel were still by the ledge. In truth that thank you was for everyone that I ever knew. Without everyone I wouldn't have gotten this far. I never really thanked people for what they did for me, I did now, but people would never hear it. No matter how much I wished that they would.

My fingers slipped and I was falling backwards. Again in what felt like slow motion.

"PERCY!"

Annabeth…

The rope bridge was interesting. It was made by some long forgotten god or goddess' magic. It let the person see how they are in life.

Like with Annabeth she hadn't ever really changed, she had some clumsy moments and a few heart stopping moments, for me at least whenever something bad happened to her. .

Where with me, I had always been wobbly. I had been confused and I didn't really have anything to make my steady. I had lived a short violently ended life, but to me… it was worth it.

I don't remember when time started going in current time. I don't remember what anyone said after I let go. I do remember my last thought before falling into the silence where there was nothing.

Life was like a tightrope. There was only one way to go, but many ways of getting there, and when you fell, sometimes there wasn't a net.

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**There you have it. I'll have a short epilogue posted with this story, and if you should all desire I can write out a longer one involving the funeral and moving on and things of that nature. Please leave your thoughts in the reviews!  
Otherwise I hope to add a few more stories to this fandom! Later!~IF**


	2. Epilogue

**Here's the epilogue that goes along with the story. As I said in the previous chapter should you so desire I may write the sequel, for lack of a better word. This is short but I hope you enjoy it all the same. **

**DISCLAIMER I DO NOT OWN PERCY JACKSON**

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Outside of the now sealed doors. The seven demigods mourned the loss of a hero, leader, friend, and lover. They stood in silence, the members too shocked to cry.

But when a breeze disturbed the silence of the forest they were in. No one said anything. It smelled strangely of the sea. Though they weren't expecting the whispered _thank you, _that was carried in the wind.

That was all the seven demigod needed to break their shock as they let their tears tumble freely down their cheeks.

They didn't dare comment on anything. They all remained still as they processed what had just happened. The only movement was when one slumped to the ground and another followed them down to provide comfort they both desperately sought.

Not a thing was said when a heart wrenching scream broke the silence of the forest; scattering the birds, the scream was followed by desperate sobs and pleas which were intermingled with words of comfort and promises of something better.

The other five wondered if anything could be better after this.

It had been a sunny day in Manhattan. The campers had been preparing for the coming battle. The weather was pleasant despite the protests to make it more akin to their moods.

It had been denied because it was said that they needed something happy to keep them from losing faith that the eight on the quest would save the world and stop the battle.

Everyone paused when a breeze blew the scent of the ocean towards the camp. Why had wind been allowed? The breeze only served to remind them of their missing brother.

But the sky quickly clouded when the breeze turned out to be carrying whispered words of gratitude.

Thank you.

No one decided to comment when two children of Hermes decided to scream or punch one of the cabins.

None dared speak about the daughter of Ares who suddenly vanished from the sight of her cabin mates to only be found taking solace with the children of Hermes.

They did watch as the centaur looked towards one of the cabins, number 3, old eyes filled with sorrow.

The curses and sobs stopped when the man gazing so sadly at a cabin pulled a simple ballpoint pen from his pocket and proceeded to set back into his pocket like a treasure.

The silence was broken as more curses, screaming, and the sound of frustration being released on household objects. There was no more complaints about the weather matching their mood .

Now, it was cloudy and about to rain.

* * *

Laughter filled the small apartment along with the sound of water pouring out of the tap. The windows were open as it was a nice day, and it was good to air out the apartment.

A woman was holding a clean dish out to a man. A salty smelling breeze came through the window making both of them pause as it had the scent of an ocean side property for a split second before whispered words fluttered into the room, much like the curtains in a breeze.

_Thank you._

A crash and then sobs rang through the small apartment. A thump as an object hit the floor. Words of confusion and denial tumbled out of the two's mouths.

Blood trickled out of a small cut made by sitting in the shattered glass, but neither party thought that a small amount of blood was important at the moment.

* * *

High above everything, even the tallest mountain. Everything was joyous. Their biggest threat had been taken care of for the moment and the cost had been minimal.

To most that is.

One sat away from the others, with a flickering orb. Watching the reactions of those who had felt the breeze. Watching with jealousy and sadness. Jealous that others could react so freely with their grief and saddened that the event had not been foreseen.

Anger had twisted in with those emotions. Anger that those whom were here didn't care the cost, they thought nothing of it, where the owner of the orb could not help but think that the cost was too high.

Another member of this high society sat far away from the orb and its owner. They were more discreet with their displeasure at the others.

It had been a high cost, but not one that was too obscenely high. It was cheap to those who did not know how this would really affect them and the mortals. Thoughts of who was truly worthy of the status of godhood rang through the two immortal grievers. But it was beyond their realm now.

They shared a sorrowful look. Perhaps this would be the only time they agreed on anything.

* * *

Fields of green and the smell of barbeque was the first thing the new spirit noticed. Looking around, there was an island in the center of the field, it was close but far away. There was also a party going on.

A few faces were instantly recognizable to the spirit, either from history or from actual life. The faces made it truly sink in what had happened.

The spirit could only wish that the others knew of the last words spoken. The spirit had a feeling that they did, how it was unknown, but a relief all the same.

Walking down the oddly paved path lead straight to the area that the other spirits were having a party. The path was smooth and the food smelled amazing.

Do spirits need to eat? Why would they be partying when they were dead? Questions that would remain unanswered rang through the new comer's head.

The others welcomed their newest member brightly. Serving him a big platter of short ribs and a surprisingly, in a good way, blue cola.

If the spirit wanted to, they could be reborn. The spirit knew that achieving this place was a high honor, and having rejected a high honor already, the spirit didn't want to offend the gods, again.

Besides, here the spirit felt content, something that hadn't ever really been felt in the short life of the spirit, and it whenever contentment was felt it was always with her.

The dead don't dwell, they had a life time and now they had eternity to reflect on what that life had been, they were both blessed and cursed.

If I hadn't lost my balance… I wonder what it would've been like?

The spirit thought, the answer would never be known but it was a question for the ages.

One that all of the mourners, thankful, and everyone else asked as well. Not at the same time but the same question all the same.

Only the fates knew the answer… and they weren't telling.

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**There you all are. Hope you enjoyed leave your thoughts below! Later!~IF  
P.S If you want the sequel you need to verbalize the want of it, otherwise it won't be written.**


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